Are you presenting a paper or poster soon? Join us for the MCMLA webinar, "Accessibility Essentials: Crafting Inclusive Presentations & Posters," where you'll learn the essential strategies and best practices for designing inclusive presentation experiences. Whether you are new to accessibility practices or don’t know which tools to turn to, this webinar is for you.
Our values as librarians make accessibility an incredibly important part of our work. Let’s be proactive in leading the way towards an inclusive experience for all our audience members. We look forward to seeing you there!
Ruby Nugent became part of Library & Knowledge Services at National Jewish Health in December of 2021. With over 20 years of working in public, academic, and medical libraries, she utilizes her unique experience and background to support and advocate for the diverse staff, faculty, clinicians, and patients in her role at NJH. Ruby’s scholarly interests include librarian-led cultural humility education, increasing Hispanic/Latinx representation in health sciences research and scholarship, and reinforcing the librarian’s role in providing tools and resources to increase health literacy and improve healthcare outcomes for underrepresented communities. Ruby is a member of NJH’s DEI Council and is currently serves as the 2023-2024 Chapter Chair for the Midcontinental Medical Library Association.
Michelle Schonken is the Electronic Resources Librarian at CU Anschutz Medical Campus and received her MLIS from Wayne State University in 2017. Her passion for vision sciences and accessibility began during her time as the Optometry liaison at Marshall B. Ketchum University, and has continued with her involvement in the leadership of MLA’s Vision Science Caucus. One of Michelle’s recent collaborations as the VSC chair was co-hosting the webinar titled, “Envisioning Inclusivity: A Panel on Libraries and Vision Disorders” with MLA’s Accessibility and Disability Caucus. She has been expanding her technical skills to implement Accessibility principles with the use of ever-changing software options at our disposal. Michelle is excited to share what she’s learned about best-practices and tools to make us compassionate and efficient allies for accessibility in our various library roles.
The MCMLA DEI Committee invites you to attend two webinars in July to commemorate Disability Pride Month in July. The Committee would like to support the community by offering these two insightful presentations. Both webinars are free of cost.
Registration information will be posted soon.
Disability Pride Month, celebrated each July, is a significant observance dedicated to honoring the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. This month-long event plays a crucial role in transforming societal perceptions of disability, promoting it as a natural and integral part of human diversity.
The origins of Disability Pride Month trace back to the United States in 1990, coinciding with the landmark signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. The ADA was a monumental step in extending civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities, ensuring greater accessibility and equality across various aspects of life. The first official celebration of Disability Pride Month occurred in July 2015, marking the 25th anniversary of the ADA's enactment.
